The Grenada gazette., 1887-06-11
DAWES SACRIFICE.
how He Squared Accounts with
Widow Hartley.

"Yc'r get it, Dave. Ye kin make
sure o thet. Thar amt nobody round
hyar kin beat ye ridin'."
Dave knows that 'th'out We tellin'
him, Mandy. He amt no fool, n that
twenty-five dollars is comm ter him,
sure. seed him givin' Judy an extra
rundown this mownin', fore sun-up.
What We gon' ter do with the money,
Dave9n
"Wait till get it," answered a tall,
athletic young fellow of about twenty
years of age, who stood in the door
way of the little mountain cabin. Il
amt maxim no plans"
'.Ye jest say that. Dave, not likin'
fer set yerself up none, " said his sister,
raking out the fire on the broad hearth,
and setting big black kettle of water
in the middle of the ashes. But, I'm
countin' oa that new dress, m Tlllook
fo' it when yo' uns comes up the mount
ing this cycnin'.'
Dave laughed. and walked across the
little ward to the rough shed where
Judy was stamping and paving impa-
tentlv. She whinnied as her sharp
ears caught the sound Of her master s
tread, and when he opened the shed
door and held out his hand, she came
to him at once and put her head on
his shoulder, showing as well as she
was able how deep was her affection
for him.
Dave patted her gently, his arm
around her neck. He had raised her
from a colt. and always talked to her
as if she were capable of understand
ing everything he said TO her.
I'VE uns will show 'em some pretty
ridin' ter day, reckon, judy" he half
whispered. II amt afeared none
'bout settin' thet twenty-five dollars"
He put a saddle and bride on the
mare and led her out. Her whinny
of delight on leaving the close shed,
brought Mandy and her husband to
the cabin door.
"Ye goin' now, Dave?' asked his
brother-in-law.
Yes; reckon | better be off. I'll
take it slow goin' down the mount
ing
"Well, I'll been long fore the toona-
ment sets in. Ireckon there II be right
smart o crowd ter Erwin"
Dave asscntcd with a nod, and rode
away, cui.bing with steady hand
Judy's desire to break into wild gal
lop. He wanted to save her strength
for the contest into which he was to
enter that afternoon, and he felt as sure
of the prize as if it were already within
his grasp.
The tournament was the bright idea OF
ayoung man from one OF the Northern
cities who was spending several months
in the North Carolina mountains fol-
the benefit of his health, and who had
wandered by accident to Erwin, lit.
tie hamlet at the foot of the mountain
range. miles from railroad, where
the -rea. event of each week was the
mail on Saturday.
The houses were dccrepit frame
buildings and rough log cabins, stand.
ing around a weedy square shaded by
great oaks, beneath which the dozen
or more cows Of the place gathered or
warm days to chew the cud and wait
for milking time, while lean, lank
black hogs roamed at will through the
stony, hilly street running around the
square. There were no pavements, MOI
even board walk. and on the low
sagging porch of the principal store,
the men Of the village assembled reg
ularly every day, TO smoke. tell long
stories of bear and wolf hunts, and dis
cuss the news in the weekly papers
They seemed to young Howard Hiltor
who was all spirit and energy-ut
terly without enterprise or ambition,
and he resolved to wake them up lit
tie.
10 this end he proposed a tourna
ment, offering a prize Of twenty-five
ollars 70 the successful competitor